Many boat docks do not have hand rails for providing stability for a person getting onto or off from a boat tied up at a dock. Part of the problem of installing hand rails is that the best place for them to be can change depending upon the size of the boat or where the boat is with respect to the dock at the time that a person wants to get on or off of the boat.
Often people go on fishing trips for days or weeks in places far from home. These people usually do not know the dock configuration before they arrive at their destination. So if they want to use a hand rail for getting between a boat and the dock, it is not a reasonable option to ask the dock owner to install a permanent one.
Accordingly, there is a need for a way to provide portable dock rails that can be used almost anywhere and which will not damage the dock itself during installation, use or removal.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.